


I'll Take You There

by mlea7675



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Meet-Cute, Political Campaigns, Pre-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:53:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29586123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlea7675/pseuds/mlea7675
Summary: What if our heroes had crossed paths before? Set during the final two days of the 1994 DNC, Josh, Leo, Sam, CJ, and Toby work different angles of the convention-finding surprises and romance along the way.
Relationships: Andrea Wyatt/Toby Ziegler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	I'll Take You There

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So, this is a one-shot I thought up about the characters’ lives pre-Bartlet. I originally envisioned it as a meet-cute for Toby and Andy, but the idea grew. I hope you enjoy, please read and review!

The temperature was 72 degrees and sunny as the 747 from BWI landed at Chicago-O’Hare Airport. Three women disembarked; all of who worked for EMILY’s List in Washington DC. Well, one of them. The others were a congresswoman from Florida and her deputy chief of staff. They were all buzzing with excitement, and for good reason. 

Representative Carol Gelsey was to be the keynote speaker at the 1994 Democratic National Convention. Accompanying her was Andrea “Andy” Wyatt, her Deputy Chief of Staff; her Chief of Staff had stayed behind to run the office. Two years earlier, Andy had been a Congressional aide for Congressman Lawrence Beck, a friend of her father’s, when she heard through Capitol Hill that prosecutor and Florida State’s Attorney Carol Gelsey was making waves in the news by switching to the Democratic Party and running for Congress. Sensing that she had the political experience to offer a Democratic newcomer, she left Congressman Beck’s office and joined the fledgling Gelsey for Congress campaign. But first, they needed money. So, Andy was dispatched to meet with the newest political director for EMILY’s List, which was how she met the third person in their party. 

“Andy!” CJ Cregg called, trying to keep up. She was looking forward to the event itself, as well as getting to hang out with one of her best friends for the next two days. She and Andy had hit it off at CJ’s DC office two years earlier, and they had remained in close touch. “Do you need help with the Congresswoman’s speech?” 

“No, I think Carla’s got it pretty much covered,” Andy replied, referring to the office speechwriter who was home with a nasty bout of the flu. “I think the Congresswoman just wants us here for moral support. You especially can be valuable.” 

CJ nodded. Her official capacity in attending the convention-other than piggybacking on a plane ticket she had wrangled from Andy-was to drum up support for the female candidates on the floor. Carol Gelsey was a known commodity around DC, not to mention having a solid approval rating in her district. There was no way she wouldn’t win re-election. There were a couple of others that CJ knew she needed to look out for, too. But there was also another man who she heard through the grapevine may be at the convention. 

“So, I may have had an ulterior motive for signing up for the trip,” CJ admitted mysteriously. 

Andy’s eyes widened. “What did you do?” 

“I didn’t do anything. Yet.” 

“CJ…” 

“Except that there’s this awesome guy I want you to meet.” 

Andy raised her eyebrows. “CJ, I’m not in the dating market right now.” 

“I didn’t say you had to sleep with the guy. I’m just saying meet him.” 

“How well do you know him?” Andy asked. 

“A...fair amount.” 

“You’ve never met him, have you?” 

“Of course I’ve met him! We met on the campaign trail in New York in 1990. He was trying to get Ron Goldberg elected mayor of Brooklyn. I was in New York with Amy Gardner, who I think you met, and we were trying to get Grace Handler elected to the Senate in New York. Anyway, I met this guy, and we just hit it off. I really think you’ll like him.” 

Andy sighed. If there was one thing she hated, it was being set up. But this was the DNC. No better time to live dangerously. “What’s his name?” 

“Toby,” CJ answered her. “Toby Ziegler. He’ll be at the convention.” 

… 

Meanwhile, the man in question was already at the convention site, shilling for votes (or in his case, promises from the delegates in his district) on the convention floor. He had brought his candidate here to Chicago from North Carolina to gain visibility in the Democratic Party. This was what he did, he kept telling himself. Even if this guy lost-and he probably would, given that North Carolina State Education head Barbara Layton, running for the US Senate, had insanely high approval ratings-he would go down in a blaze of glory. 

He looked around and quickly found his candidate conversing with a delegate from Iowa. He walked over and could hear snatches of the conversation. 

“I know I’m going to lose, but Toby-that’s my campaign manager-he won’t let me quit. He still seems convinced that we’re going to win somehow.” 

Toby stood a few feet away, mesmerized by the conversation. He had no idea his candidate had so much faith in him. 

Suddenly, the man turned. “Toby! We were just talking about you.” 

Toby nodded briskly. “I heard.” He paused, then said, “Congressman, I hope you know that we’re not going to give in without a fight. Especially not to Bruno Gianelli. In fact, I’m gonna roll out a whole new PR campaign. We need someone who has a natural knack for this field. Somebody like...like…” And then, the perfect name came to him. Someone whom he had met for the first and only time four summers ago, but had never forgotten. “We need CJ Cregg.” 

Just then, a roar went up from the floor as the speaker, the DNC Chairman, rallied the crowd. 

But meanwhile, Congressman Lawrence Beck was just confused. “Who’s CJ Cregg?” 

“She works for EMILY’s List in DC. She helped on Carol Gelsey’s campaign 2 years ago. I met her when I was working on a mayoral campaign in New York a while back.” 

“You think she can turn this campaign around?” Congressman Beck was skeptical. He knew it wasn’t worth the money they would need to throw at the young woman. “We won’t be able to pay her much.” 

“She works on a government salary. She’s used to working for peanuts.”

Congressman Beck looked at him curiously and nodded. “All right. Give Ms. Cregg a call.” 

“Thank you, sir,” Toby replied. Going off in search of a particular delegate, he pulled out his Rolodex and found the card he was looking for. “God, I hope she still has the same number.” He muttered. He wandered past a lanky young man writing on a legal pad, muttering the same phrases to himself over and over. Toby figured he was a speechwriter, maybe a ghostwriter. Just then, he saw a red-headed young woman approach him. She seemed attractive. Toby made a mental note to try to find her later, as he continued on his way. 

… 

Andy approached the young man with trepidation. She had discovered upon arriving at the convention center that the Congresswoman was unsatisfied with some of the parts of her speech. With their regular speechwriter out of commission, Congresswoman Gelsey had dispatched Andy to find someone-anyone-on the floor with speechwriting experience to touch up the speech. When she saw the young man muttering to himself, she knew she had hit the jackpot. 

“Excuse me, sir?” 

The young man looked up. Andy could tell he was in his late twenties-early thirties, maybe. He had an attractive mop of brown hair and wore glasses. “May I help you?” 

“Actually, I’m looking for how you could help me.” 

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t follow.” 

Andy laughed a little. “Okay, let me start over. You’re a speechwriter, right?” 

“Ghostwriter.” Sam corrected, smiling and gesturing to his notes. “I’m an attorney by trade, but I do speeches sometimes because I like getting into politics.” He stuck out his hand. “Sam Seaborn.” 

“Andy Wyatt,” Andy replied, shaking his hand. “Listen, I’m the Deputy Chief of Staff for Carol Gelsey.” 

“Wait. THE Carol Gelsey? The one who’s making the keynote speech?” 

She grinned. “Yes. Our speechwriter has the flu, and we’re looking for someone who can do a last-minute punch-up. Does that appeal to you?” 

Sam’s face lit up. “It would be my honor, Ms. Wyatt. Or should I call you Andy?” 

“Only if I can call you Sam.”

“Deal.” He said as the pair walked off. 

Sam turned out to be a gifted speechwriter, just what the Congresswoman was looking for. And as he spouted off ideas to the eager women, the Democratic House Legislative Director watched from afar, watching as the Democratic nominee for President talked with delegates, hoping to get votes. 

“Josh!” He heard his name being called by a familiar crass voice across the room. He turned to find Leo McGarry, the Secretary of Labor and an old friend of his father’s, approaching him. 

“Mr. Secretary.” Josh Lyman greeted, shaking his hand before pulling the older man into a hug. “What brings you to Chicago?” 

“Well, this is my hometown, Josh.” Leo reminded him. “I thought I’d pay a visit to my sister, those nephews of mine that I never see. And meanwhile, I thought I would help keep the Convention from turning into a bloodbath.” 

“Meaning, keep me from flying off the edge,” Josh said knowingly. “Just admit that Dad sent you down here to check on me.” 

“Of course he didn’t,” Leo said. “Your mother did.” 

“Aw, Leo…” 

“Josh, this is a hometown candidate. The Governor of Connecticut. A lot is riding on this nomination for you.” 

“Like I don’t know that,” Josh muttered. “Mr. Secretary, what do you think of him?”   
“Well,” Leo replied, choosing his words carefully. The truth was, he didn’t think much of the liberal Northeast governor, but he wasn’t about to tell Josh that. “He seems like a fine candidate.” 

“But he’s not the best candidate that could ever grace the stage,” Josh replied. “He’s no JFK.” 

“Oh, come on, Josh. No one can ever replace JFK.” 

“But wouldn’t it be great if we could? A ‘New Frontier’. The real thing.” 

Leo nodded sagely. “The real thing. Ain’t that a pipe dream.” 

“Leo?” 

“Yeah, kid.” 

“If you ever find it...you know, the real thing...you’ll come to find me, right?” 

Leo really looked at Josh for the first time. He saw a spark in his eyes, a spark that Leo used to have in his own eyes. The spark of an idealist who wanted not the candidate everyone thought would win, but the candidate that should win. 

And slowly, Leo began to believe that that candidate was out there, too. He just hadn’t found him yet. And when he did...he wanted Josh right along for the ride. “You bet I will.” 

And he did. Even when Josh thought he had found the perfect candidate-the frontrunner in 1998-Leo would come knocking on his door with the candidate they had both been waiting for their entire lives. 

… 

It was the next day, and Toby was trying without much success to call CJ and offer her a job. He had tried the number in his Rolodex several times without success. He was using the phone in the Convention hall, far away from the noise of the floor, and slammed it down when he heard someone’s high heels clicking behind him. 

“What did that phone do to you?” said a woman’s voice. Toby turned around and immediately realized that it was the attractive redhead he had noticed the day before. 

“Oh, nothing. Just...trying to reach someone and offer them a job. A job that we-that I-desperately need her to take.” 

“An old girlfriend?” 

“No, just an old friend from the political scene. It doesn’t matter now anyway. We’re gonna lose.” 

“Now, what makes you say that?” 

“We’re 40 points behind, against Barbara Layton and Bruno Gianelli.” Toby was ranting now. “Beck’s got a good head on his shoulders, but he’s going to lose. He’s not strong enough. He just isn’t strong enough.” 

Her eyes widened. “Lawrence Beck?” 

“Yeah, why?” 

“He’s an old friend of my father’s. I worked for him as an aide for about six years.” 

“Huh. Small world.” 

“No kidding.” She said, laughing a little. 

Toby actually began to smile a tiny bit. She had a nice laugh. She had a nice smile. 

He didn’t even realize he said the last part out loud until her expression changed-to one of shyness. 

“I do, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Toby replied. “You do. Who do you work for now?” 

“Carol Gelsey.” 

“Oh, the keynote speaker.” He checked his watch. “Well, maybe you should get back down there.” 

“Probably.” Just then, another pair of high heels clicked on the floor. “Andy? You here? The Congresswoman’s looking for you and-” Her voice cut off, and she looked shocked. “Toby? Toby Ziegler?” 

Toby’s mouth dropped open. “CJ?” 

“I don’t believe it,” CJ said, pulling in the older man for a hug. “How are you?” 

“I’m good. I’m running Beck’s campaign for the Senate in North Carolina.” 

“Oof. Against Layton? Good luck.” 

“Thanks. Actually, it’s, uh...kind of serendipitous that I ran into you. We’re looking for another political consultant. Someone with PR experience. I suggested you, and the Congressman seems to like the idea. So what do you say? You in?” 

CJ laughed a little. “Toby, I don’t know. Leave my job to go work on a losing campaign, and make a Hail Mary attempt to bring it around, and probably still lose anyway?” She paused. “Yeah, I’ll give it a shot.” 

“Really?” Toby couldn’t keep the smile out of his voice. 

“Yeah, why not? It’ll be an adventure.” CJ smiled at Toby, the dazzling smile he had loved since 1990, and he knew he had her. 

Suddenly, Andy said, “Wait a minute. Did you say, Toby Ziegler?” 

“Yeah,” CJ replied. “Oh, wait, I guess you two have already met?” 

They both nodded. 

“Toby Ziegler, Andrea Wyatt. Andy, Toby Ziegler.” 

The two shook hands. Then, Toby said, “Come on, let’s get out there for the speech.” 

… 

The keynote speech turned out to be a wild success. The group-including CJ, Andy, and Toby-applauded wildly from the back. Sam Seaborn was quite the wordsmith, and his polish on the speech had been just what it needed. Congresswoman Gelsey was impressed enough to ask Sam if he would consider working for her full-time, but he politely declined, citing that he had a life in New York to get back to. 

As the speech finished up, and the hours ticked away until Governor Murray Davis of Connecticut would accept the Democratic nomination for President, the loudspeakers began to blast out a dance hit from earlier in the summer, General Public’s remake of “I’ll Take You There”. 

“I love this song!” CJ exclaimed. She joined right in with the words and began to dance. Everyone spontaneously joined in as the delegates on the floor did the same. 

Toby looked at Andy. “You want to dance?” 

Andy looked back at him and shrugged. “Why not?” She took his hand and dragged him to the middle of the floor, where he twirled her around. 

As the music played, and they continued their impromptu dance party to the rap section of the song, then the chorus, they felt good about their lives. And as for Andy and Toby, they had found something unlikely in the Democratic National Convention. They had found love.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hope you liked this one-shot! And, yes, the final scene is based on the real-life impromptu dance party at the 1996 convention. Please let me know what you thought!


End file.
